6 Ways to Forge an (In)Justice System According to the Zimmerman Trial

I’m just getting back from Philadelphia’s Justice for Trayvon Martin Day of Action, and the rallying cries of the march rang throughout the city.

“Trayvon…Martin!”

“No justice….no peace!”

“We are….Trayvon!”

As we walked down Market Street from Love Park, the unified voices echoed off the buildings and reminded all we still seek Justice for Trayvon and all the unacknowledged people who have died due to the entrenchment of white supremacy.

Our shouts mingled with actions across the country and demonstrate the movement for racial justice (and beyond) will continue to grow as long as oppression reigns.

While not surprising, the verdict in the Zimmerman trial reminds us how firmly ingrained racism is within our “justice” system.

So if you’re looking to build a terribly marginalizing system, then the Zimmerman trial is a good place to look for inspiration.

6 ways to continue a legal system perpetuating injustice

While the George Zimmerman trial is just a single example of how our “justice” system upholds white supremacy every day, the case shows that those continuing injustice have some key practices at their disposal.

So here’s how the Zimmerman trial illustrates how to build an (in)justice system.

1. Enact laws to protect the privileged

If you want to keep ensuring those with social benefits from their identity, then the legal system is your ally.

A Texas A&M University study found the “Stand Your Ground” laws had a clear racial bias and showed whites are 354% more likely to be found “justified in killing a black person than a white person who kills another white person.”

One of the clearest summaries of this trend, came right after the decision in the trial. On Twitter @jsmooth995 tweeted “The fundamental danger of an acquittal is not more riots, it is more George Zimmermans.”

Now the law has sided with this extreme abuse of power and hidden racist antagonism as “self-defense”

2. When you can’t be openly racist, remember you can still use “dog whistles”

By attacking Martin’s character and saying he planned on attacking (e.g. by saying he “armed himself with concrete”), the defense team made sure to find ways to keep the image of the “violent, black male” as the dominant one for the jurors.

But obviously the prosecution team could expose the apparent racism right?

Exposing the (in)justice system

Judith Browne Dianis, Co-Director of the Advancement Project, reminds us that we must continue to expose this system based on racism and fear, but at the same time we must honor Trayvon’s life.

She also highlights the grassroots events happening across the country propelling forward a movement for racial justice that should “continue on until each and every young man of color in America can walk the streets in any of our nation’s neighborhoods unafraid, knowing not only that he is safe, but that his country walks beside him.”

In Philadelphia and across the country, the marches demonstrate this commitment.

Drew Serres

Drew Serres began working on Organizing Change to combine his dedication to showing impactful organizing practices with his passion for learning. Find out more about him at the About Page and see his updates on Twitter and Google+